How to get qualified without appreniticeship?

[Lucy1979]

I want to train as a gas engineer but I'm 32yrs old and no one will take me on as an apprentice. I have looked into training with private colleges who are offering a two months residential training and 12 weeks work placements with people who have also qualified at their centres and then taking the ACS assessments and on completion will be gas safe approved at a high price £7000! Has any one sucessfully been on these training schemes, do they work?

Can you name a good company to train with?

Can anyone give me some advice on I can train as a gas engineer please

 

[expertgasman]

I want to train as a gas engineer but I'm 32yrs old and no one will take me on as an apprentice. I have looked into training with private colleges who are offering a two months residential training and 12 weeks work placements with people who have also qualified at their centres and then taking the ACS assessments and on completion will be gas safe approved at a high price £7000! Has any one sucessfully been on these training schemes, do they work?

Can you name a good company to train with?

Can anyone give me some advice on I can train as a gas engineer please

Lucy, why do you especially want to work with gas. Is it bescause of the promised large salary? To be fair, a lot of guys are looking for a way OUT of this business!

Seriously, you won't find an employer to take you on armed only with this type of course, and you won't be practically trained enough to "go it alone"
"

I have been registered for many years, and so I don't really know the requirements for a new entrant, but I beleive that you have to demonstrate relevant practical experience, and I don't think a short course will cut it, so before splashing out £kkk's check out exactly what they mean by 2GasSafe approved". In practice you are registered, or not.

Finally, have a poke around this site, and try to learn what others have, without spending cash up front. Remember, IF you became qualified and registered, to work self employed, you will need a SERIOUS investment in tools and equipment. I am sorry to be so negative, but also look at posts discussing expected rates of pay, it may surprise you.

ALSO try reposting on plumbing and heating, you may get more response.

 

[corgiman]

got to agree I am nearly thirty years in and this is without doubt the hardest year ever.

Hardly earning a bean at the minute

dont do it

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

The only way for you is direct with bg. everything else forget it.

you fell for all this 30k a year crap didn't you to earn this type of money you need to be able to install heating systems boilers, diagnose and repair all gas appliances.

good luck

 

[corgiman]

The only way for you is direct with bg. everything else forget it.

you fell for all this 30k a year crap didn't you to earn this type of money you need to be able to install heating systems boilers, diagnose and repair all gas appliances.

good luck

30K a year werent that long ago they said you should clear 75K per year as a plumber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[expertgasman]

The only way for you is direct with bg. everything else forget it.

Yep, if you can get training through BG you are laughing

 

[Nige F]

got to agree I am nearly thirty years in and this is without doubt the hardest year ever.

Hardly earning a bean at the minute

dont do it

That`s bad corgiman With BG taking over more and more aspects of home maintenance - it`s the death knell for independants.

 

[corgiman]

you're not wrong Nige, its scarey out there

 

[mbrad]

Hi,
I advertised for an apprentice last year and got numerous applicants, the best of which was a 32 year old man. I gave 3 a weeks trial and the 17 and 18 yr old didnt come close to the 32 yr olds work rate, he had got out of the 'window game' which had died on its a**e round our way.
I told him I would ony pay him £95 a week for 12 months, his reply was "I've signed up for college in september, so i'll be 95 a week more than i was expecting."
I hired him and I am about to be paying him a good rate, which he deserves. His biggest issue is at college. Everyone else is half his age and of course kids!
Can you live on 95 a week? Can you tolerate 16 yr old kids one day a week? We work on building sites and I am on price work but make a healthy profit, so maybe try the site firms. The one I sub-contract to have taken a 28 yr old apprentice on last year also.
Good luck

 

[corgiman]

is that minimum wage mbrad

be careful as you might get a kick up the harris from the DHSS if he claims for a top up

 

[mbrad]

Off the top of my head , i did research it at the time, you can pay someone a minimum of £95 a week during a training programme provided they attend college for at least one day a week. However if that person is over the age of 21 (i think ) then you must pay them at least the minimum wage after 12months of training.
We never went into the dhss thing as his wife is on a good wage so they werent entitled to anything.